Phatrib firs-pighteh



Filati July 192 Il f l Wim i Inventor Patented May 17, 1927. I

unirse TES ranrarnrran'; Frama. v

eminem@ mea-ruime', 1926;; serian-1%. 124,-42s.-

Theprcsent invention relates' :to conL trivance for fighting prairie fires andyaims to provide a device whichis capableof burninge` stripvk of prairie land, so as to forniV a barrier against the further progress of the firey ,A y 1 v,

Another very importantI objectof thisy invention resides in the provision of a'device ot' this nature with mean's for sprinkling fire eXtingushin-g fluid on-jthe burnt ground 1 so as to preventthe apparatus from` causing a lire. y A o Another -.very important objectof the in` vention is to provide a contrivance of this nature with a flexibleconfining apparatus so that the strip of ground-,to be burnt' i' thereby will be (.onfi'ned'y wit-hin: predetermined limits.

A stilh further very important 'object` ofv the invention lies Vin the provision ofL a device of this nature with an exceedingly sinrple construction, one which is thoroughly efficient and reliable in operation;` inexpensive to Operate and manufacture,v strong and durable, easy tounanipulate', not likely to readily get out of order,- andi otherwiseV well adapted to? the purpose for which itTA is designed.

With the above 'andfnunierous other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will bel hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing v Figure l is a side elevation of the apparatus embodying the features of my invention,

Fig. 2 stantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, looking downwardly, and

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of one of the wall forming sections.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the 4letter T denotes a tank divided by partition 5 into compartments 6 and 7. The forward compartment 6 is adapted to hold liquid fuel, such as kero-y sene, gasoline, or the like, while the rear compartment 7 is adapted to hold some cheap and efficient fire extinguishing fluid.

These compartments 6 and V7 may be filledv by removal of the respective caps 8 and 9, on inlets at the top thereof. An air pump is a horizontal section taken .sub-

10. ofpsuitable construction V-is mounted l on 1topof-theta1-1k rll, is-operableby aflev-e'r 111, and 'has-"a pipe 1 2 leading therefrom-` with valve controlledbranches 13 and l-l'eadin'g respectively tof-compartments` 6` and 7. -f

rl-"he fori'vard end1r off the -tank@ is 4 mounted in' any suitable manner oir af' wheeled truck l5 having suitable' draft lmeans'` 16l attached thereto. Bracketsfl-T are provided one the forward sides of the tankA so that: additional draft'meansf-may be 'attached` thereto. ySuit'- able -uprights 18 are fixed to the' rea-rrof: the tan-k T, anddepend-fdown; below rthe `same andhaveY yournafled` in 'their loWereXtrem-i'- ties,- an? axle 19'A ,on`v` which; is f disposed; af roller or drum 20 between thesu'priglits I1'8andcor'- rugated.v wheels 2l. to'l the outside of: said brackets., The wheels 2l are-'providechy with sharpcned ,flanges 22 at' their inner edges for forming furrowsl: Guide shields 23 are fixed to the uprights beta'veenl the ,ends ofthe vr( l'=le'r 20' and the wheelsf'22, for guiding the' grass twai'dthe roller 2O'l so that as the lcontri'yance'moves along, said" grass wfillf bef'p-ulledl downz A! :pair of brackets 24 extend rearwardly andf downwardly from the rear end off' the'l tank T for.` sup: porting a1 rectangular pipe frame `25"having a plurality of jets 26 in the sides and rear end thereof. 'A cross' pipe 27 is provided in the pipe frame 25 adjacent the rear end and is also provided with a plurality of jets 26.

A pipe 28 is coupled to the forward end ofthe pipe frame 25 and is connected with the compartment 7 and has a valve 29 therein so that the fire extinguishing fiuid from the compartment 7 may be controlled. A plurality of transversely disposed burners 30 have their ends enga-ged on the sides of the pipe frame 25, so as to be disposed in parallel spaced relation. These burners are provided with jets 3l and are connected to a pipe 32 leading from the compartment 6 and having a valve 33 therein.

It will thus be seen that when the valves 29 and 33 are open, the pressure created by the pump 10 will force the respective fluids through the pipes 32 and 28vand when the burners are lighted, the grass within the area confined by the pipe frame 25 will be thoroughly burned Vand the fire will be confined by the fire extinguishing liquid forced out of the jets 26. i

As a further precaution in confining the fire, I provide a pair of flexible walls indicated generally by the letter W. `Each wall W includes a chain 35, the forward link of which is pivoted to one upright 18 vso as to extend rearwardly therefrom. A plurality of wall sections 36 have their upper ends pivotally engaged on the pivot pins of the chain and there is a series of these sections 36 on each side ol the chain, a section on one sidebcing disposed between the sections on the other side, as-will be apparent from an inspection of Figsl and 2. 'Each section 3G is provided at its bottom with a rearf wardly disposed shoe 37 for engaging in the furrow made by one of the flanges 22. Most of the pivot pins of the chain terminate in yeyes 38,'through which are slidable rods 39, the lower ends of which are pivoted to f intermediate portions ofthe sections immediately forward thereof', and-springs 40 are disposed on the Shanks impinging against the eyes Vand the sections so as t-onormally retain said sections in vertical positiombut allowing them to swing rearwardly in case they strike obstacles. f

The rear ends of the chains 35 are connected by a bar 42. A pair of bars 43 areapparatus is being transported from place to place, and not in actual use.

From the above detailed description, itl will be seen that I have devised a very efficient and reliable apparatus for burning a Y strip of ground ahead of a prairie fire for the purpose of stopping the progress of said fire along a certain predetermined line. Particular attention is directed to the fact that the apparatus performs its intended function` without any danger of allowing the fire'to spread.

'The present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail merely byV way of example, since in vactual practice, it attains the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement ofthe invenchanges in the details of construction, and

in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted'to vwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed, or sacrificing any of its advantages. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim' as new is i An apparatus of the class described, including means for burning prairie grass, fire extinguishingA means disposed about the first means, a pair of flexible fire confiningwalls, outside of the second means, each wall comprising a chain formed of a plurality of pivoted links, sections pivotally mounted on the chain and depending therefrom, and spring means tending to hold the sections in vertical positions.v

In testimony whereof I afHx my signature.

HARVEY B. 'Monrna 'IISy 

